Various fluid tubing connectors may be used in limb cuff applications. These components are primarily used in blood pressure applications, which means they typically transport a gas (generally air) over a range of pressures. Such connectors are generally configured with opposing connector ends. One connector end may be configured to join with tubing extending from a blood pressure cuff, while the opposing connector end is configured to join with tubing extending from the blood pressure measurement device. Typically the connector ends are configured with a “quarter turn” latch design in which engagement features on each connector end lock together upon 90° rotation with respect to each other. In some designs, the connectors may be configured to form a unitary piece with no moving parts, in which case the respective tubing extending from the blood pressure cuff and the blood pressure measurement device are prevented from rotating relative to one another. This may be problematic in cases where an axial tension load is exerted on the connector or the components joined thereto as this may result in folding or crimping of the tubing, which may affect blood pressure readings, or complete detachment of the connector halves.
Some connectors may be configured as two-piece connectors that may include a connector member and a cylindrical shroud or collar member, which are rotatable relative to one another. In some two-piece connector designs, the connector member may be configured with a barb connector portion that may be used to join with tubing extending from a blood pressure cuff or a blood pressure measurement device, and the collar member of the two-piece connector may be configured with threads or a latch that may join to the tubing extending from the other of the blood pressure cuff or the blood pressure device. Typically, two-piece connectors are assembled by passing the barb connector portion through the collar member until the collar member engages in a snap fit position on the collar member. Due to this direction of assembly, the barb connector portion of the connector member requires an outer circumference that is smaller than an inner circumference of the collar member, which means that only certain tubing sizes may be used with the barb connector portion of the two-piece connector.
While the collar member and the connector member of the two-piece connector may rotate relative to one another when assembled, free rotation of the components of the two-piece connector may be impeded. For example, when tubing is joined to the barb connector member, the tubing may extend along the length of the barb connector member up to and over the collar member, thereby impeding rotation of the collar member. Where a tube stop is provided on the barb connector portion of the connector member, the tube stop requires an outer circumference that is smaller than an inner circumference of the collar member to enable assembly of the two-piece connector.
In addition, in typical two-piece connector designs, the collar member may include an engagement hook or slot with a retention bump configured to engage with a corresponding hook or slot with a retention bump on the opposing connection member engagement joined to tubing extending from the blood pressure device upon the quarter turn rotation. When subject to an axial tension load, the engagement hook of the collar member may flex radially outwardly and slide past and disengage from the engagement hook of the connection member joined to tubing extending from the blood pressure measurement device. In other instances, a high axial tension can cause one of the engagement hooks to fail, e.g., by shearing off, thereby causing the opposing connection members to disengage.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.